New airport measures not enough: expert
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Privacy concerns: body scanners will be rolled out at Australian airports from next year. (ABC)
Aviation security experts have generally welcomed the Federal Government's plans to improve airport security, but one expert says the raft of measures do not go far enough.
Body scanners will be introduced at Australian international airports from next year to screen outbound travellers as part of the Government's $200 million plan.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the measures were recommended in the wake of the botched Christmas Day terrorism attack in the US, where a man allegedly attempted to set off a bomb on a flight bound for Detroit.
But Michael Carmody, the former head of security at the Federal Airports Corporation, says the Government should be regulating airport security functions ahead of private companies.
"Unfortunately when you start talking about private companies engaging in this process, you start talking about a profit motive," he said.
"There is a reason that Qantas and other airlines outsource the provision of their security and that's primarily due to cost and efficiency."
Mr Carmody says it is difficult to know whether $200 million will be enough to roll out the security measures. He says the devil in the detail is yet to be seen.
"I think what's more important is that we have that overarching strategic plan of which everything - from passenger screening to baggage screening to advance technology to passenger profiling - all form a component," he said.
"It's important that we consider the mix of those components as distinct from each individual measure."
Virtual strip search?
The introduction of body scanners in airports overseas has led to a barrage of criticism.
There has been concern in the US and Britain that the scanners could breach child protection laws, while privacy advocates have dubbed the technology a virtual strip search.
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says the scanners have "an unnecessary and quite disproportionate intrusion into privacy".
"There's also the concern about how effective they would actually be, whether they would actually have a measurable impact on security at airports," he said.
The Government admits the new technology will be an inconvenience, but it says it will ensure the privacy of Australian travellers is protected.
Mr Carmody says privacy concerns must be overcome in order to ensure security at airports.
"We must move forward. This technology offers us the ability to scan and develop a profile of the passenger very quickly," he said.
"We must move on this initiative and we must put issues of privacy to one side."
Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says the new screening will take about six minutes, but it is unsure what percentage of passengers will be subject to the additional check.
The Government will also fund new multi-view x-ray machines and scanners to detect liquid-based explosives.
The roll out of screening at regional airports will be fast-tracked and there will be twice as many detection dogs and double the number of passengers screened for explosives.
There is also more money for risk profiling of passengers.
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